CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROXIMAL PROMOTER REGION OF THE RAT SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTOR GENE, SSTR4

In the present study, the putative promoter region of rSSTR4 gene has been cloned and characterized. Primer extension and RNAase protection analysis reveals the existence of multiple transcriptional initiation sites, the five major ones mapping between -126 and -18 relative to th e ATG initiation codon. Sequence analysis reveals that the region lack s TATA and CCAAT promoter elements, possesses a high GC content and co ntains a number of potential SP1 binding sites. In addition, potential AP-2, GCF, and PuF binding sites and an octimer motif were also ident ified. Thus, the promoter of rSSTR4 shows similar features to promoter s of highly regulated growth factor receptors and oncogenes. The poten tial role these transcriptional binding sites play in regulating rSSTR 4 expression is currently being investigated. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.